Monday, May 12, 2014

Daily 5 Book Study: Chapter 7

What happened to me finishing the D5 Second Edition about a month ago...LOTS of things. It has been a crazy, but good month. I can't wait to share all the exciting things happening!

Back to the Daily 5!!

Chapter 7: When to Launch the Next Daily 5

“The sisters” suggest launching the next component of the D5 after students have built stamina for a certain number of minutes. For 2nd grade it is between 10-12 minutes. Again the reader is reminded that every class is different. This could take four days for some classes or thirteen days for others. I really enjoy how “the sisters” intertwine this idea throughout the book.

Launching Work on Writing

Work on Writing and Writers Workshop are not the same thing. I talked about this a little in my last post. Many times during Writers Workshop my students were working on a specific piece of writing or practicing something I taught in a mini lesson. I allow my students to continue working on these pieces of writing during Work on Writing. “The sisters” suggest allowing them to have more freedom with what they choose to write. I think I will continue to ask my students to write, edit, and publish pieces from Writers Workshop during Work on Writing. This will eliminate them working on several pieces of writing and trying to keep everything straight. I like to have similar expectations for both. “The sisters” walk you through the same steps they did during Read to Self. I flagged some of the language and questions they ask their students. Again my favorite is having students rate themselves and set a goal for the next round.

Introducing Choice

While I was reading this section I was nodding my head saying to myself “I can do this.” I shared previously that I didn’t use the choice piece in my classroom last year. This is something I want to try and implement in my classroom next year. “The sisters” teach a lesson about choice, allowing students to choose between Read to Self and Work on Writing. I like the idea of only allowing them to choose between two components first instead of all five. Starting with only two choices can be a less daunting task for the students and the teacher.

Check-In

*Take a poll of what students will be doing during that round of the D5

*Use a conference sheet to keep track of who is doing what

*Call names of students who will be at small group before allowing them to choose component of the D5

*Students share their choice and goal with the class

*Few different options for dismissing the class to begin D5

Read to Someone

“The sisters” shared that many teachers have a hard time with Read to Someone. I did last year with my class and was hoping that spending extra time building stamina and focusing on the foundations lessons will help. Those were the same suggestions “the sisters” had in this section of the chapter. They also suggest introducing Read to Someone last because it had the most foundation lessons. I think I am going to try these suggestions next year with my class and hope Read to Someone goes a little smoother.

Listen to Reading/Word Work

*Students assigned as tech support

*Very little need to build stamina (I AGREE!)

While I was reading this chapter I was thinking how “the sisters” introduce a new component of the D5 while also allowing students to choose between Read to Self and Work on Writing. The last page of the chapter cleared everything up. One rotation the students choose between Read to Self and Work on Writing. Before the second rotation the teacher introduces a new component with I-Chart and the 10 Steps to Independence. The students practice that component and then the last rotation they choose between Read to Self or Work on Writing. Here is a better visual: